Cinebook the 9th Art: YOKO TSUNO 17 - THE EXILES OF KIFA

 

paperback

Author: Roger Leloup
Age: 8 years and up
Size: 21.7 x 28.7 cm
Number of pages: 48 colour pages
Publication: May 2022

ISBN: 9781800440654

£7.99 incl VAT

During a new visit to Vinea, Yoko returns to the Archangels’ underwater city, drawn there by a mysterious probe and its damaged robot pilot, Myna. The latter is soon repaired, and immediately informs Yoko that the High Council of Vinea has decided to destroy the wandering space city of Kifa, as it threatens to crash into the planet. But Kifa is where Myna and her robotic people were exiled long ago. Yoko and her friend decide to help them … 

In August 2021 I reviewed Yoko Tsuno 16 and you can find that at this link:

https://hoopercomicart.blogspot.com/2021/08/cinebook-9th-art-yoko-tsuno-16-cannon.html

Yoko Tsuno, when I first saw it, I thought was going to be a mainly for little kids series. The first volume I saw and read changed my mind. This is one of those Cinebook series that on arriving I look through quickly -it's always a treat for the eyes.

Now, here I am going to upset a lot of Frank Hampson Dan Dare fans. You know the one who act mentally retarded like the old time DC fans who think they are so funny when they say "Marvel Comics? Never heard of that. What is a Marvel Comic?" I once mentioned Belardinelli and his run on 2000 ADs 1970s Dan bDare revival in front of Don Harley and some others at the Dan Dare Touring Exhibition and you'd think I stuck dog poop under their noises as they responded "2000 AD? Dan Dare? Never heard of it" Anyway, here goes; in many ways Yoko Tsuno adventures, especially the ones in space, remind me of the creativity and fun of the old Dan Dare strips.  ooh. Blood vessel just popped in Crawleigh.

This series is supposedly designed for younger readers but when we used to have a comic event in Bristol (that's going back a decade now) and Cinebook were selling at them I often chatted to customers and was surprised how many adults were buying this series for themselves.  It was good to get away from the toxic internet and talk to people who were genuine comic fans and smiled as they talked about the joy of not just Yoko Tsuno but the Cinebook tiles in general and how they were inspired by them to get back to reading comics.

I look at the space craft and scenarios and the characterisation and my first thought is that this character and stories were not just created for children but for anyone who loved a good adventure story. That the main character is a young female is a plus of course -though European comics have always catered for both sexes.

There are really nice scenes in this volume -almost a touch of Valerian at times. At others almost Luc Orient  -way back in the day I told Olivier Cadic that a Luc Orient series would be excellent...I am still waiting 😢.

This is a series I would always recommend whether fort youngsters or adults who love a good comic read.